Hogwarts a Fake?
by deathlyhallows2012
Summary: What if Hogwarts never existed? What if Harry's going crazy thinking it did? (No pairings, K just in case)
1. Going to Durmstrang?

Harry woke up with a start. "Uhhh...," he mumbled. He was at the Burrow, the Weasleys' house. " Everybody, come down," cried Mrs. Weasley. She woke everybody up. "Don't want to miss the Durmstrang and Beauxbatons train." "Wait! " yelled Harry, "aren't we going to Hogwarts?"

"What Hogwarts, dear?" said Mrs. Weasley. Harry sat there, dumbstruck. "Hogw...a...r..ts," Harry slowly mumbled. " What is he talking about?" yelled Mrs. Weasley, " Arthur, get him a healer." "I'm not sick!" screeched Harry. Ginny came in the room moments later.

"What happened, Mum?"she asked. "Oh dear, Harry thinks his school is a place called Hogwarts. He doesn't realize he's going to Durmstrang." " Wow...what's Hogwarts ?" implored Ginny. " That's exactly what I want to know, dear." replied Mrs. Weasley. Soon, a grumpy and tired Harry was on the train to Durmstrang.

"Why are you so tired, mate?"asked Ron, Harry's best friend. Harry snorted. He didn't feel like saying anything. Ron, looking at who he was trying to talk to, sat in the next compartment with Seamus, Dean, and Neville. Harry didn't mind. Everybody thought he was a complete nutter, anyhow. He wondered if he really was going mad. "No," he said firmly. Harry still remembered the countless encounters with his arch-enemy,Draco Malfoy. But he remembered them at Hogwarts. At Hagrid's hut in his first year, when Malfoy told Professor McGonagall about Norbert, Hagrid's dragon.

"We're there, we're there!" Ron yelled from the next compartment. Everybody got out of their compartments to take a look. It was a magnificent castle,the only variation in the expanse of white snow around were coming from every corner of the train. Harry, looking disgusted, leaned back in his would never wear a Durmstrang uniform, never! He was loyal to Hogwarts, and Hogwarts only. At that moment, Neville turned so Harry could see his face. On his forehead was a lightning-shaped scar! Harry felt his forehead in was pretty sure he was the one supposed to have that scar. That was how it was like at Hogwarts. Oh no, he was thinking about Hogwarts again! It's not real! he told himself. He was just having illusions, or dreaming, or something. But deep down, he couldn't help thinking, I know it is real.

Once Harry got to Durmstrang, he looked at his course schedule, which he got on the first day. There was nothing but things like "stick throwing" and "hunting skills", which Harry hated. He distinctly remembered in Hogwarts there was Transfiguration and Potions, with more subjects. "Ugh...," he sighed as he headed into his dormitory. It was basically a room full of beds and places to keep the trunks. He walked down the corridors,which were not very many, down to his first boring-looking class. Stick throwing. Ugh. When he got to the class, he heard Professor Kuru giving out sticks to everyone to practice throwing and catching without fault.

"Can't we just use magic?" whispered Ron in Harry's ear. "That's what we did last year." "We were in Hogwarts last year." stated Harry. Ron sighed and said, "Forget about that Hogwarts place or whatever. As much as you want it to be real, it's not." Harry took his mind off Hogwarts for a moment to attempt throwing a stick. He groaned as it landed on the ground with a deafening thud. After class, Harry wandered down the corridors thinking of Hermione and Ginny and Luna and wondering if they were all right at Beauxbatons and hoping he would see them again. Not sure why he was thinking of Luna, he wandered into the room marked "Teachers' Quarters". He then heard something that made his "imagination" come true. He thought he just heard the word "Hogwarts". Harry tried to assure himself that that was what he heard. He cleaned out his ear and listened. He heard it again. "Hogwarts."


	2. Archery Class

**_A/N: I don't know why everything bolded, so sorry. I tried un-bolding it, but it didn't work. I managed to un-bold the last part, though. I think it's just my computer... :)_** Harry came back to his senses. He looked at the door. It WAS marked "Teachers' Quarters". He looked more closely to see an old man wearing half-moon spectacles talking to Durmstrang's headmaster, Igor Karkaroff. " I don't want you to close Hogwarts so you can open your school to more students," said a familiar voice belonging to Albus Dumbledore. "I respect that," said Karkaroff, "but considering that muggles have seen Hogwarts and the castle has become plottable again, I suggest it stay this way." " I demand that if I make Hogwarts unplottable again, you will take off the memory charm you have put on all my students," Dumbledore said. " Fine," Karkaroff responded impatiently. Harry couldn't wait to tell Ron what he just heard. He ran top speed to the "Great Chamber," which was the Great Hall back at Hogwarts. Nobody but Ron was there, waiting for him. " I missed hunting because of you," he hissed. "You won't believe this," Harry said, ignoring the comment from Ron, " I heard Karkaroff and the Hogwarts headmaster talking about Hogwarts." He told Ron all about what he had heard. " You probably heard wrong. That's SUCH a crazy story. Do you need to visit the infirmary?" I forgot to record it or something, or have some proof. I should have known Ron wouldn't believe me. Next time I hear it, I'll bring some proof back. Maybe I'll even follow Dumbledore to Hogwarts and take pictures of the castle or something, Harry thought. He cleared his throat. "Let's go to archery, shall we?" Ron could tell that Harry felt uncomfortable that he didn't believe him, so he let it go. They walked to archery class in silence. "Fourth years, your archery practice will take place in the Great Chamber since the second years need to practice here," said Professor Hunt , the new archery teacher, "Your practice will be taken by Professor Yurn there." Harry and Ron walked to the Great Chamber. Harry suddenly remembered something that had to do with Hogwarts. This year was his fourth year and he heard Mrs. Weasley tell Mr. Weasley that the Triwizard Tournament would take place this year. But where would they hold it? Beaxbatons? Durmstrang? Maybe...Hogwarts? Karkaroff knew about it, after all. Maybe they would all go there on broomsticks, soaring into the castle. "Hello? Earth to Harry..." Ron said, snapping his fingers in front of Harry's eyes. Harry snapped back to his senses. "What has gotten in to you? Everyone else has gone to archery. Professor Yurn said to stay with you here at the Hospital Chamber. You're acting really strange this year," Ron said, sighing in relief when he realized Harry was back to consciousness. "Let's go." At archery, Harry missed every target. "You need to practice. I'll schedule you a private lesson with me," said Professor Yurn, writing something on a pad of parchment. He ripped it off and gave it to Harry. It said:

Durmstrang School of Magic: Professor's Notepad

Mr. Harry Potter

Archery Practice

4:00-6:00

Great Chamber

Tuesday

Professor Yurn

****"Be there." Professor Yurn said, giving Harry the note. "I will," Harry responded.


	3. Dealing With Schoolwork

Harry solemnly walked to his private lesson with Professor Yurn, thinking about all he had learned by hearing Dumbledore and Karkaroff's conversation.

I'm not mad, I'm not mad, I'm not mad he kept repeating in his head, waiting for the feeling of comfort and content to arrive, but it never came.

Harry stepped into Professor Yurn's enormous classroom. The only light in the room was from a candle on Professor Yurn's desk.

"Ah, Harry, would you stand on that platform over there?" yelled Professor Yurn as Harry came in. Harry turned his head, and spotted a large grey platform in front of a snow-covered window. He stepped on the platform, wondering what the professor wanted him to do.

"Now," Professor Yurn said, "let us begin." A bow and a case of arrows appeared in Harry's arms, and targets began popping up at random throughout the room.

The lesson progressed slowly, due to the fact that Harry was having loads of trouble on his aim. It didn't help that Professor Yurn watched him from all angles, muttering to himself and taking notes on his notepad.

After the lesson, in which Harry only managed to hit three targets, he walked down to the common rooms. With a pang, he remembered that the common rooms at Hogwarts were segregated by house. As he walked, Harry couldn't help thinking about the conversation again. It had become an old topic in Ron's mind, but not in Harry's.

The enigma was constantly bouncing around in the back of his head, causing him to think about it at the most unlikely of times. There was a question, however, that troubled him.

If Karkaroff put a memory charm on all the Hogwarts students, how come it didn't affect me? Why am I "special"? He sighed. Like he was going to find out.

Harry must have looked puzzled and frustrated as he entered the cozy, warm common room, because Ron asked, "Are you okay? Do you need butterbeer?"  
"No, just a bit...you know...," Harry mumbled.

"Shaken up after a horrible lesson?" Ron asked, laughing, "Don't worry, that happens to me every time."

"Yeah," Harry responded, "I think that's what happened. Isn't it time we ought to go to bed?"

Harry woke up to see Ron still asleep. He got up to Ron's bed and violently shook him awake. "Whaaa..." Ron mumbled.

"RON WEASLEY," bellowed Harry, sounding like Molly Weasley.

"HARRY?!" Ron yelled, looking exasperated when he saw Harry standing over his four-poster bed.

"It's time to go to classes, Ron." Harry said.

"Okay, Okay," Ron replied, "give me a minute to at least get dressed."

"Let's go eat," said Ron as he passed the Great Chamber. Harry looked at him. His mouth was open and his eyes were fixed hungrily on the feast.

"All right, all right," Harry gave in, "but we're going to be late for Prof. Kroshi's if we eat our usual load."

"Don't worry we won't," said Ron, rushing toward the food.

"Hurry up, though," Harry yelled after him. He groaned as he saw Ron sit down with a fork and knife, scooping piles of toast, eggs, bacon, sausages, and pancakes onto his plate.

"mmmm," Ron tried to say, his mouth stuffed with the remains of the feast. Harry decided that he would go to Prof. Kroshi's without Ron. Detention would not help his mood. He quickly grabbed his bags and made a dash for the door. "Ditcher!" Ron yelled after him, bits of spitty egg flying out of his mouth.

Ron appeared in the classroom several minutes later, ketchup lining his mouth and chin. "Um..." Prof. Kroshi muttered, " go wash up in the bathroom." Ron groaned, and, staring daggers at Harry, left the room.

Harry snorted under his breath as he watched Ron go, thinking about how much Hermione would disapprove. How badly he wished she were here! If only Hogwarts... Hogwarts. The one memory he would always hold on to, no matter what the others said. He remembered Hogwarts and all his years there...so why would it vanish now?

"Mr. Potter, how many times do I have to ask you? How do you know where to throw a dagger if you can't see the enemy?" This brought Harry to his senses. " Um..." he said, seeing that Ron was back in the room and smirking at him, " wave the dagger around and hope you hit the enemy?"

Prof. Kroshi sighed. Class dismissed. Your homework is to write a 20-inch essay on why Mr. Potter's answer is wrong. Everyone groaned and left the room. Only Ron waited for him at the doorway. " The early bird gets the worm," he said.

"Wrong line to use," Harry replied. "Whatever," Ron smirked, "hurry up." The two boys trudged down the halls to their next class.


	4. Dumbledore

There was a graveyard. A cauldron in the center, and Death Eaters standing around it. Voldemort pressing Wormtail's dark mark, and reassembling the Death Eaters.

The vision flashes away and another one materializes. A battle at Hogwarts. Students and teachers being killed. Him, Ron, and Hermione standing in the middle of the battle, covered with blood. Death Eaters swarming the school Harry knows as Hogwarts.

Again, the vision disappeared and another one appeared. The Ministry obliviating all the students under Karkarroff's orders. Boys being carried off to Durmstrang, and girls to Beauxbatons. Dumbledore sneaking away.

Next, he saw Dumbledore altering the Ministry records. There was a roster that read: Harry Potter: Not Obliviated. With a wave of his wand, Dumbledore changed it to: Harry Potter: Obliviated.

Harry woke up with a start. He found he was sweating all over. He looked at his bedside clock. It was only 6:00. Pondering what he had just seen, he crossed the room to Ron's bed to wake him up.

"Ron!RON! Urgent news here!" Harry yelled in Ron's ear.

"God! Seriously! It's five in the morning!" Ron replied as he woke up.

"Shhhh, I need to talk to you, but not here." Harry whispered.

***********************************

Moments later, Ron found himself sitting in a bathroom at 6:10 in the morning. Harry climbed into a stall and sat on the toilet, Ron realizing that he was meant to sit on the floor.

He grudgingly sat as Harry explained the details of his fascinating dreams to him. "Good story, Harry. Make it into a book. I admit, you almost had me convinced that that had actually been in your dream!" Ron laughed.

"You even took me here to tell me everything!" He chuckled. "But..." Harry trailed off, heartbroken that Ron had not believed him.

"Come on, let's go to breakfast," Ron said. "Okay," Harry replied, feeling guilty that his anger at Ron for not believing him had not been Ron's fault at all. But then a new unexplained problem popped into his head.

On the train here, Neville had a scar on his forehead, not me! Harry desperately wanted to ask Neville about his scar.

"Have you seen Neville, Ron?" asked Harry urgently. "He was in the paved courtyard a while back, I think", Ron responded. "Be right back!" Harry yelled. Harry hurried to the paved courtyard, where he found Neville, just as he was leaving.

"Neville!" he called, his vocal chords straining. Neville turned around. " Um..." Harry didn't know how to begin. "Are you going somewhere specific?" he asked.

"No,"replied Neville, "I can spare a moment." "Well then, can we go to, uh, well," Harry stuttered. "Go on," Neville said. "Would you mind talking in...the bathroom?" Harry, nervously asked. "Well, I guess," Neville said with a shrug.

"Well, I have some questions about your scar," Harry said. " Where did you get it?"

"Well," Neville started, looking uncomfortable. " Well, I remember this school, it's called Hogwarts. No one else seems to remember, though. Not that you should." Harry's heart skipped a beat.

"No, wait. I've been arguing with Ron about Hogwarts. I remember it too! Hey, I want to find out more, don't you?" "Yes!" Neville replied, excited.  
"We should start looking for clues! Do you want to start now?"  
"Yeah! So what do you remember about Hogwarts?"

*****************************

After that, Neville and Harry spent a lot of time together. They were so excited about finding the truth that they even researched in the library, including the Restricted Section.

Whenever they had the chance, they would also sneak into teachers' offices and search for anything at all that pertained to Hogwarts.

One day, Neville came running out of the the archery wing with a look of glee on his face. "Harry," he panted, " I've found something called Hogwarts, a History."

"Let's take a look at it in the courtyard!" Harry's pulse was throbbing as he ran after Neville. He and Neville scanned the book. There was a lot of valuable information in its pages, but they were most interested in the page titled "The Lives of Neville Longbottom and Harry Potter."

On the page, it stated that BOTH Harry and Neville's parents were killed by Voldemort. The two boys looked at each other."But I thought only MY parents are dead!" yelled Neville. "So did I!" said Harry. "Do you realize what this means?"

"That Hogwarts is real?"  
"NO! It means that we're both targeted by Voldemort!"  
Neville cringed at the use of the Dark Lord's name, and several students looked at the two of them in surprise. "Sorry..sorry!" Harry said to the people staring.

Neville suddenly put his hand to his forehead, where his scar was. "Hey!" he shouted. "My scar's gone!" Harry shoved Neville's bangs up again. His mouth fell open in shock. There was no scar!

Thoughts and theories raced through Harry's mind as he turned away from Neville, trying to make sense of it all. He suddenly gasped, remembering a long gray beard, and the face associated with it, that of the Hogwarts headmaster, Dumbledore.

"Neville?" he asked, turning towards him. " I think Dumbledore concealed your scar. I remember that at Hogwarts I had one, and now I don't. Maybe Dumbledore concealed both our scars."

"But then how did mine show up on the train?" asked Neville. "That I don't have an explanation for," Harry responded. "Well, me and Seamus were dueling on the train," commented Neville thoughtfully.

"He sent a spell at me that took down all protective coverings and magical shields. Maybe the concealment for the scar qualified as protective covering, and Dumbledore redid the spell once he realized my scar was showing."

"We need to find Dumbledore," declared Harry. "Agreed?"  
"Agreed." announced Neville.

A week later, Harry and Neville had made no progress in their mission to find Dumbledore, although they had searched most of the castle. "Harry?" Neville asked, coming up behind him. "Yeah?" Harry responded, turning to face Neville.

"Do you want to duel in the courtyard? Just for fun? I mean, only if you aren't busy."  
"Yeah, let's duel. I finished my potions essay yesterday anyway."

As they walked towards the courtyard, they passed Karkaroff's office. Harry suddenly gasped and began to run full speed toward the staff hallway, almost running into Karkaroff coming out of his office.

"Watch it Potter!" yelled the angry headmaster, shaking his head and walking toward the kitchens at high speed. Neville just shrugged and returned to the boys' dormitories, assuming Harry would explain later.

Harry raced around the corridors, trying to find the gray- bearded man who he caught a glimpse of outside Karkaroff's office. He could be Dumbledore!

Merlin's Beard, I have to tell Neville! It somehow seemed like he was saying the wrong name. And Ron. He quickly added, feeling ashamed.

Harry ran toward the common room, getting a full, head-to-toe vision of Dumbledore in the corridor just before he disapparated. Harry ran like the wind toward the common room once more.

**********************************

"Why'd you run away like that?" Neville asked when Harry came back, panting. "Just listen," Harry replied, and told Neville the whole story, Neville's mouth wide open the whole time.

Suddenly, Neville spoke. "We'll pack our spare trunks. Then next time we see Dumbledore, we follow him to wherever he is going. Then we will know whether or not Hogwarts is go where he's going, we hold on to the bottom of his robe. Deal?" Harry was speechless. "Yeah...uh...yeah...ok...deal..." he stuttered.

******************************

Two months later, Dumbledore was spotted outside Karkaroff's office, about to disapparate. Harry and Neville got their spare trunks, and ran toward Dumbledore on top speed. They got hold of his robe in the nick of time.


	5. A Private Conversation

To Harry, it felt as though his organs were squelching, writhing, inside him. He hated it. And suddenly, it stopped. Harry was lying on the floor, gasping for breath. He turned and saw Neville lying down next to him, green in the face. Their trunks were lying a few feet away on the black pavement.

Harry gestured to Neville quietly and whispered, "He's right there," for Dumbledore was standing, his back to them. "Beautiful, the city of Ottery St. Catchpole. Don't you think, boys?" Dumbledore asked, turning around.

"Er..." Harry replied as he helped Neville stand up. "Have you done enough snooping to know why I am here?" Dumbledore inquired, gesturing toward the isolated streets.

"No, not really," Neville said, blushing.

"Sorry sir, we didn't mean to snoop," said Harry ashamedly. Dumbledore didn't reply. Instead, he beckoned for them to follow him. They walked through high weeds, squelching mud, and pavement, out of Ottery St. Catchpole before they reached a house.

"The Burrow!" Harry exclaimed.  
"The Burrow?" Neville asked.  
"It's the Weasleys' house."  
"Oh, why are we here?"  
"I dunno," Harry replied with a shrug.

Dumbledore led the two boys inside the house toward the kitchen, where Molly Weasley was chopping vegetables and listening to the radio.

"And now for, the sensational singing sorceress, Celestina Warbeck!" the radio boomed. looked up at the visitors.

"Oh, it's you, Dumbledore," she said, bustling towards the radio and shutting it off. She yelped, "Harry, Neville, you too!" Before Dumbledore could reply, Harry spoke.

"How do you know Dumbledore?" he asked.

"Oh," said uneasily, her eyes shifting from side to side,"Go upstairs, to Ron's room please, boys. I'll whip up something for you two, you must be hungry!" Recognizing defeat, Harry trudged up to Ron's room.

"Come on, Neville," he said. As the boys reached the fourth landing, Harry whispered to Neville, "Come on, if we hurry, we can listen in." Harry broke out in a run, Neville at his heels.

They passed Percy's room, then Ginny's, then Ron's, all the way down to the kitchen. The door was closed. Harry claimed the keyhole, so Neville had to lie down and listen to the conversation from the crack between the door and the floor.

"Now, Dumbledore, why have you come here?" Mrs. Weasley inquired.  
"I want to reinstate the Order to bring the obliviated students back to Hogwarts."  
"Are you sure it is a good idea to bring them back so soon?"  
"Naturally, Molly, I have thought this over for a while before making a decision. However, there is another matter of great importance we need to discuss."  
"What is it?"  
"I trust you know of the prophecy, the one concerning Harry and Voldemort?"  
"Yes."

"There is another boy who has the power to defeat Voldemort. His name is Neville Longbottom."

gasped. "Naturally, upon hearing the prophecy, Voldemort targeted them both in order to eliminate all possible threats. That is why both of them have scars," Dumbledore finished.

"Oh!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed," Well, we will certainly reinstate the Order. Should I call the boys down now?"

"Certainly, Molly." Dumbledore replied.  
"Quick, Ron's room!" Harry whispered, and the two boys ran up the stairs and barely made it into Ron's room when the kitchen door opened.  
"You can come down now, boys!" Mrs. Weasley called. Harry and Neville tried to look innocent as they came down the stairs.


	6. Just a Bit Further

"Dinner's ready, boys," said , " and you're going back to H-um,Durmstrang first thing tomorrow." Harry gave neville a silent nod, mouthing she doesn't suspect a thing. Harry and Neville finished filling their plates and sat down to eat, but ushered them up the stairs.

"You boys can eat in Ron's room," she said, as arrived.  
"Boys!" he called, then looking at 's face, said, "You boys can go eat upstairs." As ushered into the kitchen, Harry and Neville walked up as far as Ginny's room, when they heard close the door.

Then they doubled back and stationed themselves outside the door. This time, Neville claimed the keyhole, so Harry bent down to listen under the door. Their dinners lay forgotten on the floor in Ginny's room.

"Why are the boys here?" asked.  
"Just what Dumbledore was about to tell me," replied.  
"Dumbledore?"  
"Yes, dear. He wants to reinstate the Order."  
"Why on earth would we do that?"  
"Arthur dear, let's concentrate on the more pressing matter of Harry and Neville for now. Dumbledore?"

"Well, you see, the boys started snooping about Durmstrang to find out what Hogwarts is. You see, after the invasion of Hogwarts, I told you I modified the memories of all the students. However, I decided to let Harry and Neville remember. I changed the Ministry records to show that they were obliviated, even though they still aren't. I wanted them to ask questions about Hogwarts. I wanted them to find out about me, about the school. It is imperative that they remember the battle that took place at Hogwarts, so that when they come face-to-face with Voldemort, they will have some idea of his weaknesses."

"Will they really have to fight him, Dumbledore?" asked Mrs. Weasley worriedly.  
"I do not know, Molly. The prophecy was not entirely clear to me. Furthermore, we must be careful not to set too much store by it. Harry and Neville, however, must be made aware of its contents. I have not heard it in the entirety, so I wish the boys to visit the Department of Mysteries and hear it for themselves," replied Dumbledore.

"Oh!" exclaimed , "We can certainly arrange for Harry and Neville to make a trip to the Ministry. Arthur can take them to work with him, right Arthur?"

"Certainly, Molly, I'll go through the Ministry's visitor's entrance and show them the Department of Mysteries. They'll be itching to go in!" replied.

Dumbledore said, "Good, then that's settled. Let's call the boys down and tell them they will be going to the Ministry tomorrow. Tell them only what they need to know. "

, looking a bit shocked, replied," Oh all right, Dumbledore, go on then." At the sound of starting his reply, both boys grabbed their dinners and shut themselves in Ron's room.

A few seconds later, opened the door.

"Done with your dinner, boys?" she asked.  
"Yes," Neville said.  
"Change of plans, boys. Arthur wants to show you a bit around his office before you two go to school."  
"Er...ok," replied Neville as he went to put his plate in the sink, Harry at his heels.  
"Not to be rude, Mrs. Weasley, but why exactly are we touring the ministry when we should be at Durmstrang?" asked Harry.  
"Go to bed boys, everything will be explained tomorrow," Mrs. Weasley said.

He was in a narrow corridor. There was a blue door with a oval handle in the middle of it at the end of the corridor. He didn't know why, but it felt essential to get to the door. Just a bit further, he thought.

He was nearing it. The door was unlocked. He opened it and walked inside. There were shelves full of glowing blue orbs. He passed many of them in his silent search. Again, he thought Just a bit further. For some reason, he turned at a certain shelf.

He looked toward his right. Each movement was getting faster. He felt his pulse quicken. One of the glowing orbs had a plaque beneath it labeled 'Longbottom, Neville/Potter, Harry'. He reached out for it. Again he thought Just reach a bit further.

He was about to touch it. His fingertips were skimming it... "Harry, wake up! Harry?!" Harry woke up. He was lying on the floor.

"What happened, ?" Harry asked, feeling kind of annoyed at her. He had almost reached the orb!  
"Both you and Neville were lying on the floor, twitching and clutching your scars, but only you were muttering 'Just a bit further' over and over. Are you okay, dears? Would you like some hot chocolate?"

"Oh, no, I'm fine, thanks, Mrs. Weasley," replied Harry, getting up off the floor.  
"What about you, Neville?" Mrs. Weasley asked worriedly  
"I'm fine too," replied Neville, climbing back into bed.


	7. To The Ministry

Harry tried to make his hair lay flat as he walked down to the kitchen, where he found Neville sitting at the table,being presented with an enormous platter of pancakes. Next to that was a steaming platter of sausages and a plate piled with toast, and a frying pan full of eggs with bacon.

Harry stared, aghast, at the enormous spread of food on the table, wondering how on Earth he and Neville would ever finish it all. Neville gulped nervously as he poured maple syrup on his daunting stack of enormous, fluffy pancakes. Harry's eyes widened as he was presented with his own stack of the same size.

"There you are, dear! You don't want to go to the Ministry hungry!" said Mrs. Weasley cheerfully.

"Um, thank you, Mrs. Weasley," said Harry nervously, trying to stop the butter from sliding off of the top of his enormous pancake stack. Soon after, Mr. Weasley came down and took a plate, which he piled with egg and sausage.

"It's wonderful, dear," he said to Mrs. Weasley, who replied with her usual smile. The only sounds Harry heard over the next half hour were those of chewing and swallowing. Then Arthur Weasley abruptly stood up.

"Time to go, boys," he said. Neville and Harry jumped up, their pancake stacks not even half finished. "Let's go, then," Mr. Weasley said, surprised at Harry and Neville's eagerness to leave, "Pile in."

Harry, Neville, and Mr. Weasley bid farewell to Mrs. Weasley, tears in her eyes, examining them as if hoping that they had a chance against Voldemort. took out his key and put it in the lock.

The car clicked open, and Harry and Neville got in a Ministry car parked remembered driving Mr. Weasley's old Ford Anglia into a tree with Ron in their second year, and felt a small pang of guilt. He soon forgot about the incident, for Mr. Weasley was starting up the car as he and Neville got in.

"Here we go, boys!" he yelled over the sound of the roaring engine. Harry felt the car lift, and he, Neville, and were in the air.

When the trio landed at the Ministry of Magic, Mr. Weasley got out and walked to a telephone booth, Harry and Neville following him. He punched in the number 64224.

Neville and Harry jumped when a lady's disembodied voice said, "Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and purpose."

To nobody in particular, said, "Arthur Weasley...er...showing Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom around, Harry Potter...urm...er...person being shown around and Neville Longbottom, also a person being shown around." Out of a little slot, three badges came out. One read:

Arthur Weasley  
Tour Guide

The other two read:

Harry Potter  
Tourist

and

Neville Longbottom  
Tourist

Mr. Weasley gave everybody their designated badge. "Tourist? I'm not a tourist." Harry said bemusedly. "But it's quite fun using the visitors entrance, isn't it?" Mr. Weasley replied. "Don't forget to put the badge on!", he said to Neville, who was staring at it incredulously.

Harry felt the booth jerk downward. While the elevator/ out of order telephone booth came down, the cool female voice said, " Please present your wand in the Atrium for registration."

The booth came down to the ground, and the three of them entered the Atrium, an enormous room with a high roof and large glass windows. There was a fountain in the middle, with a gold plated sculpture of a wizard holding a wand in the air. Water was pouring out of the wand, into the base of the fountain.

There were several ministry workers hurrying about with armfuls of papers and folders. To add to the general hubbub, there were paper airplanes flying around above their heads. Mr. Weasley explained that they were interdepartmental memos.  
"Much more convenient than owls, see", he said.

walked over to the opposite end of the Atrium, Harry and Neville in tow. At the end of the Atrium sat a seedy-looking wizard. In front of him, there was a golden instrument that looked like a wand scale.

"Hello Barney," said.  
"How do you do, Arthur?" The wizard named Barney asked.  
"Fine, thank you. Just bringing these two boys in for a tour of the Ministry."  
"Shouldn't they be at school?" Barney asked, accepting Mr. Weasley's wand.  
"There are certain exceptions." replied. "Ah," Barney replied, giving back 's wand and taking Harry's.

He put it on the scale, and suddenly a green check mark flew in the air from the tip of Harry's wand. Barney gave Harry back his wand and took Neville's. The same thing happened,except as they were leaving, Harry saw Barney give him and Neville a significant look.

The boys followed through the Ministry like they were on a tour, until finally the time came.

"This, boys, is the Department of Mysteries. The only people that get to go inside of it are called Unspeakables. The Unspeakables can't tell anybody about what's in the Department of Mysteries. Only they know what goes on inside there. All we know is that there are people's prophecies kept in there. Now boys, this may come as a shock, but there is a prophecy inside about the two of you. I want you to find that prophecy and listen to it. I don't know where it is, but.." Mr. Weasley stopped speaking as a Ministry wizard passed them in the corridor.

"Just find that prophecy, listen to it and memorize it. It will be important to you someday. I'll explain more later, but I need to leave right now. I can't be seen in this corridor, it will look suspicious. You two shouldn't linger either, just take a look at that prophecy as quickly as you can, then meet me in my office on the third floor, the department of the misuse of muggle artifacts. You can tell anyone who stops you that you wandered off and got lost. Now remember, the prophecies are behind a blue door with an oval handle. Got it? Good. "

With that, Mr. Weasley turned and left. Harry and Neville stared at each other for a split second, and then yanked open the door and rushed into the department of mysteries.


	8. The Prophecy and a Curious Veil

Panting, running, and turning corners was all Harry and Neville did, until Harry spotted the door he (and he was pretty sure Neville) had been dreaming about for years. The door with the oval handle.

Running through it, he recognized the shelf he had turned in in his dream. He walked down the aisle until he reached the orb reading Longbottom, Neville/ Potter, Harry. Neville hesitated, then picked it up.

The raspy voice of the Divination teacher at Hogwarts, Professor Trelawney came out of the prophecy. They cannot live while he survives...The Dark Lord shall mark them as his equals... (Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Warner Bros Entertainment, Inc) Harry put the prophecy back. He could not believe what he just heard.

"They cannot live while he survives," Neville muttered.

"The Dark Lord shall mark us?" Harry rudely interjected. "Is that the scars?"

"Yeah," said Neville, "Yeah, I think that's what it means. Let's assume it's him and move on."

"Neville.. look."

"What?"

"That veil, over there in the other room.."

"What about it?"

"Just watch it for a minute, you'll see what I mean."

Harry and Neville heard their parents' voices, saw glimpses of their faces behind the impossibly thin white cloth inside the arch. When Neville spoke again, his voice was fraught with fear and trepidation:

"Listen, let's get out of here before those Unspeakables or whatevers find us. I have a bad feeling about this veil."

"Good idea."

The two boys dashed out of the aisle just as one of the Unspeakables turned the corner.

Gasping, Neville and Harry emerged from the Department of Mysteries and turned to find Mr. Weasley turning the corner toward them.

"I decided to come pick you up. You two were taking a long time, I was beginning to worry," said, eyeing their ruffled shirts and messy hair. Mr. Weasley must have become suspicious about why they had taken so long, because then he inquired, "You haven't been anywhere you're not supposed to be, have you, boys?"

"No, not at all, ." Harry responded. A glint of pride shone in Mr. Weasley's eyes as he led them back toward the car. "Good job boys! I believe it's come time for you two to hear an explanation for everything that's happened."

"Um.. Mr. Weasley?" asked Neville.

"Yes?"

"Me and Harry, we kind of..."

"Mr. Weasley! Look! A rubber duck!" Harry yelled, pointing to a department store display outside in an effort to distract Mr. Weasley from Neville's blathering.

"Those objects have always puzzled me, Harry. What exactly is the function of a rubber duck?" (Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Warner Bros Entertainment, Inc)

The boys climbed in the car and Mr. Weasley took off in the direction of the Burrow. "I thought we were going to Du-" Neville caught himself mid-sentence. "Nope!" Mr. Weasley replied, thoroughly enjoying his success in having Neville and Harry go through the Department of Mysteries, "we have to pick up your trunks first!" A few minutes later, the two boys were sent back to their temporary room to get their trunks and report back downstairs.

Once the boys' trunks and things were packed in the car and everyone was piled in, Mr. Weasley started the ignition. There was silence the entire ride, mostly because nobody had anything to say. When they came back to Durmstrang, neither Harry, Neville, nor Dumbledore, who had apparated to escort the boys back to the school, said anything until they were all walking, quite alone, toward the building.

"Harry, Neville," Dumbledore said.

"Yes, Professor?" Neville asked.

"I want you to have this," Dumbledore responded, holding out a golden snitch. "The first snitch that you, Harry, have ever caught."

And with that, Dumbledore disapparated, leaving Neville and Harry pondering the meaning of Dumbledore's words, and why he had left so quickly.

The next morning, Harry decided to ask Hermione, by owl post, what Dumbledore meant and tell her what he and Neville heard. At 7:00 that morning, instead of going to breakfast, Harry walked down to the Owl Emporium. In Hogwarts, this place used to be called the Owlery, Harry thought. Climbing the flight of stairs, he found Hedwig. He petted her and gave her an owl treat as he wrote a note to Hermione:

Hermione,

I need to ask you something. Yesterday, Neville and I went to the Ministry, and (please don't get mad at this part) we snuck into the Department of Mysteries and heard our prophecy. It was about us and You-Know-Who. It said, neither can live while the other survives, and that the Dark Lord's servant will rejoin his master once more, and that's all. Any ideas on what it means? Also, we were walking back to school with Dumbledore (don't ask) and he gave me a snitch. He said it was the first ever snitch that I've caught at Hogwarts. Can you help? Why do you think he gave me an old Snitch? Write back soon.

From Durmstrang to Beauxbatons,

Harry (and Neville, though he didn't write anything in this letter)

Harry reviewed the letter, and then folded it and tied it to Hedwig's leg. "Go," he said, holding Hedwig out the window. She flew into the early morning sky.

The next two days were the same as always, but on the third day, Hermione's reply came.

Harry (and Neville),

I just don't know, Harry. I've started remembering this castle called Hogwarts, and a headmaster called Dumbledore, and I remembered someone named Professor McGonnagal and Professor Flitwick and Professor Snape, and people I have never heard of in my life. The important thing is, though, that I remembered your first Quidditch match, Harry. I remembered that you nearly swallowed the snitch! Listen, snitches have flesh memories. I read it in the library. Maybe Dumbledore has hidden something inside it he wants you to find. Try touching it with your lips, Harry. Also, I would like to say that it was very irresponsible of you to sneak off like that. What if you got lost in there?! I expect an apology to when this whole mess is over. Now, as for the prophecy, I think the part about "One cannot live while the other survives" is quite clear. It means that either You-Know-Who must kill you two, or you must work together to kill He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named.I would prefer the latter, by the part about "the Dark Lord's servant rejoins him once more." I got from a memory. In our third year, Peter Pettigrew escaped you, me, Ron, and some other people who are named Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and Severus Snape. I think Pettigrew is the Dark Lord's servant and he rejoined him. Harry, that's all the information I can give you. Please write back about the snitch.

From Beauxbatons to Durmstrang,

Hermione Granger

The two boys read the letter and sat there. Suddenly, Neville said, "Want to try Hermione's snitch idea?" "Sure," replied Harry, relieved that Neville didn't ask where he was at breakfast the day he sent the letter to Hermione or when he wrote the letter to her. "Let's go to the common room." The two boys ran to the common room and Harry took the snitch out of his bag. He pressed it to his lips. Nothing happened for a second, but then some thin, slanted writing appeared on the snitch. It said: For when you understand. Harry and Neville looked at each other. "For when you understand," Harry said,"What does it mean?" "I think we should write back to Hermione." Neville replied. "Good idea, here's a quill and parchment." Harry responded. Neville took the quill and parchment and wrote:

Hermione,

Harry put his mouth to the snitch and saw what happened. The snitch read a message that said: For when you understand. Any ideas? Also we don't have to worry about Pettigrew re-joining You-Know-Who because it already happened with this Sirius Black and Remus Lupin and Severus Snape, right? Write back as soon as possible.

From Durmstrang to Beauxbatons,

Neville (and Harry, even though he didn't write anything in this letter)

P.S. We'll say sorry, ok?

The two boys walked down to the Owl Emporium, where Neville tied the letter to a school owl. The owl flew away.


	9. The Note

For the next four days, Harry worried that his owl got intercepted. But on the fifth day, the owl soared through the Great Chamber and dropped a letter on Harry's head. He unfolded it and held it out for Neville to see. It read:

Neville (and Harry),

You might already understand! You understand that you're going to have to kill He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named! Just put your lips to the snitch, Harry, and say "I understand that Neville Longbottom and Harry Potter must kill You-Know-Who. Remember to say his actual name, though Ginny is here when I'm writing this so I can't write his actual name or she'll freak. Come on Harry, It's what Dumbledore wants you to do. This is Ginny by the way. Hermione told me everything. Now, I just want to get one thing straight before I write any more. I will NOT freak if Hermione writes You-Know-Who's name. The Beauxbatons people just won't let us get this letter through if we write it. I'm starting to remember too, guys. That's how I know about Dumbledore. (Hermione didn't tell me about that) How come Ron isn't part of this? Didn't he believe you, Harry? Sorry, I have to stop writing now. Hermione's coming out of the bathroom. Sorry about that that little excerpt from Ginny. But she's right. Also, I did a little snooping and found out that Dumbledore is making us remember. I saw him over a sleeping Ginny waving his wand. When he saw that I saw he simply said "Hello Hermione. I would prefer that you did not mention this to anyone besides Harry, Neville, and Ginevra, please." Then, he continued with his wand waving. When I woke up the next morning, Ginny started remembering! Absurd, huh? Write back as soon as you can!

From Beauxbatons to Durmstrang,

Hermione Granger and Ginny

P.S: I hope this letter helped (Ginny)

P.P.S. I am very pleased by your agreement to say sorry to as soon as possible.

There was silence for a second, but then Neville broke it by saying, "How 'bout we show Ron these letters? Ginny does ask why Ron isn't in this."

"Okay then, but if he doesn't believe us still, then I'm officially giving up." Harry responded. "Afterwards, we can try the snitch idea."

"Let's go," Neville said, getting up from the table.

"Ron! Oi! Ron!" yelled Neville, jogging over to where Ron was sitting.

"Neville!Harry! What's up?"

"Hey, Ron, sorry I ditched you for a while. I had to... find something out. But now we have to tell you why. Come here." Harry breathed.

"Um...it's okay," Ron replied, embarrassed as he walked over to where Harry and Neville were beckoning him. Neville was the first to speak.

"So," he began, and the two boys, part by part told Ron all about killing You-Know-Who, about Hermione's letters, about Ginny's excerpt. About sneaking into the Department of Mysteries. (Ron's mouth was gaping at that part) About Dumbledore and Hogwarts and remembering.

After Ron was all filled in, he confessed that he had something to tell them, too. "The reason I wasn't so astonished about Dumbledore and Hogwarts," Ron began, "is that I've been getting those memories, too. I was too scared to admit anything, because I thought I was going mad! I didn't want to be stuck next to Lockhart in St. Mungo's. What really surprises me is that you really need to kill You-Know-Who. Wow."

"How can we possibly do that? He's the most powerful wizard in the world, bar Dumbledore!" yelled Harry.

"Harry, you have to... what will we do if you don't?"

There was turmoil at school. All of the professors looked extremely harassed. It seemed the wards around Durmstrang had been tampered with, but no one knew who did it. Igor Karkaroff left the seclusion of his office to inform everyone that there was nothing to worry about, and the wards would be back up soon. Meanwhile, some of the older students' Dark Magic classes would be cancelled to keep the government from detecting the magic they used.

The dining hall filled with complaints as students of all ages began to protest. Karkaroff quieted them with a bang from his wand. The students fell silent as Karkaroff gave instructions for the prefects to round them up and keep them inside the castle.

Neville, Harry, and Ron gathered in the library to discuss who could be behind the attacks. "Maybe Karkaroff knows...did you see his face when he announced the attacks?" Ron whispered. "Certainly suspicious..." Neville agreed. "But Karkaroff?! Even WE know that Voldemort doesn't trust Karkaroff in the slightest. Why would he let him have the job?" Harry interjected. Neville and Ron looked at each other. "Yeah, good point, mate." Ron admitted. "Hmm," Neville said, "Voldemort could have arranged for Karkaroff to let another Death Eater into the castle..." Harry sighed. We should go...gonna be a big day tomorrow." Half laughing-half sulking, the three boys walked out of the library. Suddenly, Harry took off, Ron and Neville following, confused.

Voldemort sat on a tall, black chair at the head of the dining table at Malfoy Manor, stroking Nagini's head. The Death Eaters were gathered around him, waiting in fearful silence. Igor Karkaroff walked up the many stairs of the manor, finally reaching the dining room. He bowed to Voldemort, murmuring 'My Lord'.

"What news do you have, Igor?" Voldemort asked quietly.

"I report success, my lord. The teaching staff has been successfully imperiused into removing the protective wards around Durmstrang."

" I trust their memories have been properly modified?"

"Yes, my lord."

"Deliver these messages to Potter and Longbottom upon your return to Hogwarts, Igor. Do not let them know you delivered them. And make a visit to Beauxbatons to do what we discussed earlier."

"Yes, my lord."

"CRUCIO!"

"Harry! Are we going NOW?!" Without thinking Harry, took off, Neville and Ron at his heels. He ran into the deserted common room and up to the boys' dormitories. There were two notes, stamped with a silver snake seal: one on Harry's bed and one on Neville's. Harry tore open both notes, which were identical, except for the names. Harry's read:

Greetings, Mr. Potter. Wondering why you haven't heard from your friends, Ginevra and Hermione? It's because I have them temporarily in my custody here at Malfoy Manor. Now, I do not doubt that you and your band of miscreants will want to rush in on a hippogriff and rescue them. If you wish to see them alive, you and Longbottom must come to the front gate and surrender your wands to the guards within 24 hours. Ginevra and Hermione will be killed if you bring any Order member or adult with you.

Lord Voldemort

"I knew Karkaroff didn't just come out of his office just to make an announcement," said Harry.

He looked at Neville, who looked at Ron, who looked back at Harry.

"My sister's in there. Hermione's in there," said Ron, looking pale.

"We'll get them back!" yelled Neville, with surprising ferocity.


	10. Malfoy Manor

"First order of business: FIND DRACO MALFOY. That pointy-faced git can tell us how to get to Malfoy Manor," said Harry.

Neville, Harry, and Ron searched the throughout the school, but to their surprise, Draco Malfoy was not there. They cornered Blaise Zabini in an abandoned hallway instead.

"Where is Malfoy Manor?!" yelled Ron, pointing his wand in Zabini's face.

"What?" asked Blaise, thoroughly perplexed. "Why do you, of all people, want to know?"

"BECAUSE VOLDEMORT IS THERE AND HE KIDNAPPED MY SISTER AND MY FRIEND, YOU GIT!"

"Ask Draco. He knows better than I do."

"He's not here, we looked everywhere!"

"Oh.. he must be at the Manor..." breathed Blaise, his face becoming deathly pale. "Draco's in trouble."

"Where is it?"

"I'll tell you if you let me come with you."

"What? Why?"

"Draco and I swore to protect each other if there came a time when Voldemort wanted us to join him. Neither of us want to be Death Eaters, but if Draco's at the Manor, Voldemort must want him to do something."

"Fine. Now tell us where Malfoy Manor is."

Blaise, Harry, Ron, and Neville ran to the library, where Blaise pulled out a map of rural England and marked a patch of supposed wasteland with a red x.

"Malfoy Manor is unplottable, but the grounds are huge. We'll spot it from a mile away in the air. You are planning to fly, aren't you?"

"Yes, we are. It's going to be a long ride. Get some food and clothes and meet us on top of the North Tower with your broomstick in half an hour," commanded a stressed Harry.

"Will do," Blaise replied, running toward the broom shed.

At the Manor, Hermione and Ginny were ushered through the wrought-iron gates by Igor Karkaroff, who had taken their wands and pointed his at their backs.

"I cannot believe Karkaroff was able to convince Madam Maxime to let us come to 'Durmstrang' to see Harry, Neville, and Ron! We should have been more careful. We walked into a trap!" Hermione hissed angrily.

"Let's try to memorize the way in so we'll know the way out," whispered Ginny. "And let's be more careful from here on out."

The odd trio approached the polished front doors of Malfoy Manor, which opened at a whispered password from Karkaroff. They stepped in. The house was grand, decorated in green, black, and silver Slytherin banners. There were portraits of blonde Malfoy ancestors covering the walls. They all glared down at Ginny and Hermione as they passed.

"My descendants!" Ginny heard Augustus Malfoy mutter. "Bringing Mudblood filth into the house!"

They were taken through several twists and turns of green and black halls, decorated with expensive vases and, they could only assume, Dark Magic objects. Karkaroff finally brought them to a large dining hall, where Nagini occupied the head of the table. Ginny and Hermione gasped in fear, seeing her long fangs. Lucius Malfoy was at her left, and a crazy-looking grinning lady dressed in all black was at her right.

"Where's Voldemort?" hissed Ginny.

"Remember, Ginny, he doesn't have a body. He's probably in one of the inside rooms," replied Hermione quietly.

As they whispered, McNair, Buckbeak's executioner and suspected (now confirmed) Death Eater walked in with an insane smile on his face.

"My Lord," murmured Lucius and the lady in sync.

"Oh my God," whispered Ginny, feeling sick. "You-know-who took McNair's body."

McNair, no, Voldemort sat at the head of the table, winding Nagini around his shoulders and arms.

"They are here, my lord," said the dark-haired woman.

"Call the boy," responded Voldemort.

The dark-haired woman threw her head back and laughed maniacally. "DRACO!" she shrieked.

"Yes, Aunt Bellatrix?"asked a pale, frightened Draco Malfoy, entering the dining hall.

"Take the prisoners to the dungeons, and keep their wands!"

Draco's mouth opened in shock as he recognized Hermione and Ginny.

"NOW, boy!" yelled Lucius. "Unless you want another Crucio!"

Draco Malfoy approached Karkaroff, taking the girls' wands and jabbing his own into Hermione's back. He walked them down to the dungeons, staying silent and guiding them with jabs from his wand.

As they walked, Hermione desperately tried to remember where she had heard the name "Bellatrix" before. She cast her mind back into her extracurricular reading, and recalled reading her name on a list of Death Eaters who were sent to Azkaban. This could only mean that Fudge had managed to cover up a breakout!

As Hermione thought, they had been walking. The two prisoners and their guard had somehow reached a dark, cavernous dungeon. She could only hope that Ginny had been paying more attention to their route. Upon seeing the inside of the dungeon, which was filled with magical torture instruments, Ginny burst into tears and the blood rushed out of Hermione's face. What horrors were in store for them?

As Draco locked the witches in and turned to leave, Ginny suddenly called out to him. "What's going to happen to us? You can't just leave us here! What are they going to do to us?" she shrieked.

Malfoy whirled around, shocked at her violent outburst. "I don't know," he whispered. "I don't know. I'm sorry." His face was pale and stressed.

"You can't leave us here!" yelled Hermione, echoing Ginny.

"Shh..they'll hear you," cautioned Draco, looking up the stairs fearfully, "then they'll send someone to quiet you down. And that won't be pleasant."

"Help us," whispered Ginny. "I don't want to die here."

Draco looked up the stairs again, and turned back to Hermione and Ginny decisively. He began to whisper in a low, urgent tone. "I don't know why they've brought you here. My guess is that they want to get Potter and Longbottom here somehow. I'll give you your wands back, but you can't let anyone know you have them. No magic until you're outside the dungeons, or the detection alarms will go off. I'll leave this door locked, but keep the spare key." He dropped their wands and the dungeon key in through the bars of the door. With that, he spun on his heel and left.

"Thank you," whispered a shocked Ginny at his retreating form.

The cold night air whipped around the boys' faces as they rode their brooms toward Malfoy Manor, Harry and Neville sharing and Blaise and Ron riding alone. Unexpectedly, Neville struck up a conversation with Blaise.

" So, Zabini, how are you and Malfoy so close? I thought there was no loyalty in Slytherin-" Neville clapped a hand over his mouth, remembering too late that Blaise probably did not remember Hogwarts. But he was wrong.

"You remember Hogwarts too?" asked a surprised Blaise. "I thought it was just me and Draco. Interesting."

"Malfoy remembers?" interjected Ron. "If he recognizes Hermione and Ginny, will he help them? He hates muggle-borns and us Weasleys."

"He was raised that way. So was I. But we're not stupid. We realized a long time ago that blood is immaterial, and even if it wasn't, purebloods couldn't inbreed forever. He'll do as much as he can to help Granger and your sister. By the way, did you know Voldemort's actually a half-blood? Draco overheard Lucius assuring him that his mother's witch side overpowered his father's muggle side. That makes him a hypocrite as well as an evil maniac. And as for your question, Longbottom, Draco and I have known each other since we were four."

"Why are you being so open with us?" asked Harry.

"Because we need to trust each other to pull this off," responded Blaise gravely.

Severus Snape threw powder in Malfoy's floo after seeing Karkaroff bring Hermione Granger and Ginevra Weasley to the Manor. He had to let Dumbledore know of this immediately.

Hermione paced the dark, damp dungeon floor. "What could we do to protect ourselves?" she asked Ginny. "Malfoy said no magic.."

"We could set a muggle trap!" said Ginny, brightening up.

"You know how to set muggle traps?"

"Yeah, Fred and George taught me how when I was little. What can we use?"

"Wouldn't Lucius have taken out anything that could be used to set a trap?"

"Hermione, these old pureblood families wouldn't even think of making a trap without magic. That's one of the disadvantages to growing up with magic, you never learn to do things another way."

"Hmm, well then we have all these delightful torture devices..."

"We won't need them. I found a coil of rope, and a simple tripwire will do! The intruder will fall down, and the floor is so spiky and gravelly that they'll probably be out cold. And we can tie them up."

"And they won't see the rope because it's so dark in here. You're a genius, Ginny!"

Over the course of the rest of the journey, the other boys filled Blaise in on recent events, including the note from Voldemort. After some discussion, they decided to enter with Blaise as an aspiring Death Eater who had supposedly shown them the way to the Manor because Voldemort wanted them there, and the other three boys as disarmed prisoners. They had transfigured wood from some trees into fake wands, which Blaise would be carrying as Harry, Ron, and Neville's wands.

The boys landed on the sweeping lawn of the Manor and began to make their way toward the gate, Blaise with his wand trained on the backs of the other three.

Ginny and Hermione heard footsteps coming down the stairs in the dungeon. They waited in the shadows with coils of rope in their arms, ready to tie up the Death Eater. They heard a yell of surprise as the intruder fell, and too late, they realized it was Draco Malfoy.

Luckily, they managed to catch him before he fell. "My God," said Draco. "I didn't realize we left that much rope down here. Clever of you two, to use a muggle tripwire."

"What do they want us for?" asked Hermione.

"That's what I came to tell you. Voldemort has assembled all his horcruxes except one, which Potter apparently destroyed in second year. A horcrux is an object in which one stores part of their soul through murder, it's very dark magic." Draco's face turned pale as he spoke. "He's going to perform an ancient ritual to enhance his power and increase the protection on his horcruxes. The ritual requires the- the blood of his enemies, which is why he wanted Potter and Longbottom here, and the life of a pureblood, given willingly. Bellatrix suggested he use you, Weasley, and threaten to torture Granger unless you sacrificed yourself. But he was opposed to using a blood traitor, as he put it. So my father, he- he offered Voldemort my life instead. And once the ritual is over, he is planning to test his new powers on you, to torture and kill you."

"Now we're all in the same boat, aren't we?" asked Hermione. "Let's get out of here, and fast."

"One question, though, Draco. Why are you doing this? I thought you hated blood-traitors and muggleborns," said Ginny.

"It's a long story, involving me, Blaise, and some admittedly shocking revelations about Voldemort's hypocrisy and pureblood inbreeding. Let's just say I understand why you lot detest the Death Eaters so much. Anyway, my father's blocked all the floos except the one in his office, and the secret entrances and exits are clogged with Death Eaters coming to see the ritual, so we're going to have to leave through one of the doors. I hope you two can duel."


	11. Confrontation

Neville, Ron, and Harry stood outside the Manor's wrought-iron gate with Blaise's wand trained upon the three of them. Harry knew Blaise was just acting, but he shuddered as Blaise talked to the Death Eater guarding the gates as if they were old friends.

Blaise came back to them and muttered "Apparently Voldemort's planning some sort of power-enhancing ritual...anyway, it'll be easy to take him out once we get inside, because he has all his horcruxes with him, and they can be destroyed with fiendfyre. Oh, you probably don't know, a horcrux is an object in which one can store part of their soul. If their bodies are killed, they'll still live through the horcruxes, and can regain a body through Dark Magic. Voldemort took McNair's body." He poked his wand into Harry's back to pretend he was making a threat, and then the four boys walked up the path toward the polished oak doors of the Manor.

Draco, Hermione, and Ginny had barely gone five feet before they spotted a Death Eater around the corner. Draco had reached up and pulled down a ladder, which they quickly climbed. Draco pulled the ladder up after them and shut the trap door just in time.

"That was close," said Hermione. Draco and Ginny were silent. Ginny took a moment to observe the room they were in. It looked like a storeroom, and there were boxes of what looked like Narcissa's old dresses up there. A small window let in a shaft of light.

"Hey, Malfoy?" asked Ginny.

"Don't call me that," Draco said sharply. "I am nothing like my father!"

"I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry. What do you want us to call you? Draco?"

"Draco, ferret, git, you in the black, I really couldn't care less. Just not Malfoy."

"Ginny! Look, it's Harry, Neville, and Ron!" said Hermione excitedly. "But who's that with them? Will he hurt them? Do you recognize him, Mal- Draco? His face is hard to make out from so far up."

Draco came to the window and looked outside. He saw his friend, Blaise Zabini, escorting Harry, Ron, and Neville up to the Manor. His face briefly registered shock and hurt, but he hid it quickly. His face was impassive as he turned back to Hermione and Ginny. "I don't believe it," he said with his usual drawl. "Blaise is a Death Eater, and it looks like he brought your friends here."

"Oh no, no, no, no! Poor Harry, Ron, and Nev!" exclaimed Hermione.

"Will he hurt them?" asked a worried Ginny.

"No, Weasley, he will not." answered Draco.

"How do you know?"

"I have known Blaise almost as long as you have known your brothers. He doubtless has his reasons for becoming a Death Eater, but I know he doesn't have it in him to torture or kill. However, he may hand them off to Father or the Dark Lord for that."

"Don't call that vile man Father!" exclaimed Ginny. "He was ready to kill you! No real father would even think of doing that to his own flesh and blood!"

It was easy to see that Ginny's concern made Draco extremely uncomfortable. He squirmed slightly where he sat, his face showing nothing.

"Let's go save your friends, shall we?" he said at last.

They carefully opened the trapdoor and climbed down into the cavernous hallway.

Severus Snape paced nervously in Dumbledore's office. The man had run to the Ministry after he had explained the situation. He wanted to get some Unspeakables from the Department of Mysteries who he said would be able to stop the ritual safely. But meanwhile, Ginevra Weasley and Hermione Granger were at the mercy of the Death Eaters.

At least Draco would be safe. Nymphadora Tonks always kept up-to-date on what was going on at Malfoy Manor after she found out Lucius would Crucio his son when he misbehaved. She was sure to rush in if Draco's life was in danger, because whatever else he was, he was her cousin.

But Snape suddenly remembered that Fudge had assigned her to a 'special project' far north, no doubt at the behest of Lucius Malfoy. He couldn't go check on Draco, because Dumbledore had commanded him to stay in the office, as he would be needed in the fighting later.

Snape exhaled slowly. Draco would be okay. He was smart, and so was Granger. The female Weasley's cognitive ability also surpassed those of her brothers. His godson was a fighter. Snape could only hope it would be enough.

Blaise, Harry, Ron, and Neville walked through the halls of the Manor, Blaise directing them towards the large dining hall. Entering, they saw a strange sight. Voldemort was in a pentacle, his horcruxes in a smaller pentacle to his right. To his left, there was a large pentacle containing Lucius Malfoy, a large crystal bowl, a black cauldron with boiling water, a knife, and three sets of shackles.

Voldemort looked up at the four wizards. "Hello, Mr. Zabini. Mulciber informed me of what you have accomplished. You shall be well rewarded. Shackle Potter and Longbottom inside the pentacle, if you would. And it seems you have brought an extra. Lock him in the dungeons."

"Yes, my Lord," murmured Blaise. Harry felt a chill run down his spine.

Blaise shackled Neville and Harry under Lucius Malfoy's scrutinizing gaze. As he did this, he whispered "Don't worry. Me and Weasley will find your friends and Draco. You two focus on the Dark Lord." He then walked away with Ron.

"Lucius, where is your son?" asked Voldemort. "You offered him to me. Now prove your loyalty. Bring him here and put him next to our valiant Gryffindors."

"Yes, my Lord," said Lucius, disappearing into a dark hallway, leaving Harry and Neville alone with Voldemort.

Blaise took Ron down a maze of hallways until they reached a room which seemed to be Draco's. A Slytherin tie was thrown carelessly onto the bed, and a Hogwarts trunk was open in the corner.

Blaise finally seemed to relax. "We can talk freely here," he said. "Draco's placed wards around this room, and I don't think anyone bothered breaking them."

"All right," said Ron. "How are we going to find Gin & 'Mione?"

"And Draco."

"Fine, all right. And Draco."

"We are going to use a locator spell. The incantation is Reperio vos, and then the person's name who you're trying to find. And-"

"Is it Dark Magic?"

"No."

"But i've never heard of it. Why isn't it common knowledge?"

"It's very old magic, it only works if you have good intentions toward the person you are finding, and it is largely driven by emotion, like a patronus charm. That makes it hard to do for people you don't know too well. It's still very useful, of course, but it's only been printed in a couple books. Now while you say the incantation, you have to imagine the person. Imagine them standing right next to you."

"Okay. Who will we start with?"

"Draco."

"WHAT?! Why him?"

"Because he knows his way around here even better than me, and he'll know where your sister and Granger are."

"Fine."

"Reperio vos Draco. Reperio vos Draco..."

Draco, Ginny, and Hermione decided to split up. Draco was to look for the boys, and Ginny and Hermione were to wait in the hallway until a Death Eater passed, tail him, and try to get Harry, Ron, and Neville's locations from him. Ginny and Hermione had initially wanted to look for the boys, but they didn't know their way around like Draco.

Hermione and Ginny waited in the shadows, and Draco began his search in the East Wing of the Manor.

Harry and Neville waited, hoping desperately that Blaise and Ron would show up in time to free them, or Voldemort would leave so they could free themselves. Blaise had left the shackles loose enough for the boys to be able to reach their wands. Thankfully, Draco was still missing, so the ritual could not yet be performed. The two marked boys had expressed their disbelief over Lucius Malfoy's proclamation and couldn't help but root for Draco Malfoy, as he was the only missing element in the ritual.

Blaise opened his eyes. "I can't find Draco," he said fearfully. "What could have happened?"

"We'll find out, okay?" Ron replied. "Lemme try that spell for Hermione."

Snape was still waiting for Dumbledore. His stress was increasing by the second. Dumbledore had doctored the Ministry obliviation records for about half the students. Was Draco one of them or not?

Hermione and Ginny lurked in the shadowed alcoves of the Manor for about two minutes, until they saw Nott senior walking down the hall. Hermione cast a binding spell and a gagging spell, and she and Ginny levitated the body into the shadows and began to question him.

As Draco searched for the Gryffindors, he heard a laugh behind him, one that was eerily similar to his own.

"Stupid child," sneered Lucius Malfoy, his wand pointed at Draco. "You can't possibly believe that you will escape your destiny."

Draco was frozen in shock. He was finally roused to action when his father began the incantation of a dark curse. Draco ran.

Hermione and Ginny had finished questioning Nott. They obliviated him and sent him on his way. Harry and Neville were in the main dining hall, but he knew nothing of Ron. "At least we know Harry and Neville are okay at the moment. I hope Ron's all right!" said Hermione desperately.

"Don't worry so much, I'm right here!" exclaimed a familiar voice right behind her.

"RON!" Hermione yelled delightedly.

"Hermione," said Ginny.

"What?"

"He could be imperiused!"

"You're being paranoid."

"He's with him. And he's a Death Eater!" Ginny had her wand pointed at a bemused Blaise Zabini.

"Really? Just because i'm in Slytherin?"

Now Hermione had her wand trained on him too. "We saw you bringing Ron, Harry, and Neville here!"

"Mione, it was just an act," interjected Ron.

"Then why is he here?"

"He wanted to look for Malfoy."

"Speaking of which," said Blaise, "Do you have any clue where he is? The Reperio vos spell won't work on him, presumably because he thinks I'm a Death Eater," he finished, addressing Ron.

"What spell?" asked Hermione. "Reperio vos? I've never heard of that."

"I'll tell you later," said Ron.

Draco ran, his father's sinister laughter echoing in his ears. Lucius, of course, would not have to run after his son. He would just apparate wherever he expected Draco to show up. It was a vicious game of cat and mouse, and it seemed inevitable that Draco would eventually tire out, and he would be at his father's mercy. Draco ran down a hallway at random and thought frantically. Where was the last place a Malfoy would go? Where would his father never deign to look? The kitchens. Now Draco had a plan. There was only one little hitch: they were on the other side of the Manor.

"LUCIUS!" screamed an angry Voldemort. "Where is your son?!"

"I- I apologize, my lord," stammered Lucius. "He evaded me. But I will catch him soon."

Harry and Neville had broken themselves out of the shackles a while back, using a large paperclip in Neville's pocket. "I need them," he had explained, "because all my papers always end up lost or disorganized. So my gran told me to carry some everywhere. And she was right!"

They had debated whether to run or not, and they had decided to run after they received word from Ron.

Just then, Bellatrix came up from the dungeons."My Lord," she whispered, "the mudblood and blood traitor have escaped."

"CRUCIO!" yelled Voldemort, torturing Bellatrix before levitating her body and taking her with him as he stormed out one of the doors.

Blaise, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny took another peek into the Malfoys' main dining hall, seeing that Voldemort had finally left. The four of them rushed out to see Harry and Neville, and filled them in.

"Please," said Blaise hopefully, "tell me one of you, at least, has seen Draco."

"Lucius is hunting him," replied Harry gravely.

Without another word, Blaise took off.

Draco's plan of running to the kitchens was quickly abandoned when Lucius began to set fire to every hallway he was about to run through. Coughing, sweaty, and slightly burned, Draco ran down whichever hallways were left intact. His lungs burning with smoke, and his muscles burning with exertion, he realized that he was slowly, but surely being driven toward the main dining hall.

Blaise saw flames erupt in the South Wing, and he knew that Lucius must be trying to smoke Draco out. Aguamenti could do nothing against Fiendfyre, and he and Draco had learned to start it, but were not yet able to control it. Blaise dashed around flame-covered hallways, seeking an alternate route to Draco, when he was stopped by the leering Dark Lord. "Blaise Zabini," he spat, twisting McNair's face into an expression of great disgust. "Traitor. You and Draco Malfoy shall receive retribution for betraying me. And your comeuppance will come here and now."

Severus Snape felt growing unease. Why was Dumbledore not back? Something had to be holding him up at the Ministry. The more Snape thought, the more sure he was. Fudge was a scared man, and he would not pass up the opportunity to force Dumbledore to go through all the red tape he could possibly provide. Snape was too worried about his godson. He threw floo powder into the fireplace, and stepping in, yelled "Malfoy Manor!".

Harry, Ginny, Hermione, and Neville were just as startled by Snape's sudden appearance as they had been by Blaise's abrupt departure. They barely had a minute to regroup after Blaise left before Snape walked in from the direction of Lucius' study.

"YOU!" yelled Harry. "DUMBLEDORE TRUSTED YOU! AND YOU LEFT US HERE TO FEND FOR OURSELVES!"

"Silence, Potter," spat Snape. "I am here for my godson, Draco Malfoy. Where is he?"

Lucius had finally driven Draco to the main dining hall. Draco looked around, but all other paths were covered in flames. With a sense of foreboding, he stepped into the dining hall.

Voldemort petrified Blaise and levitated him into the main dining hall. Blaise's face showed open fear.

Barely had Snape asked for his godson when Voldemort levitated a petrified Blaise into the hall and Draco stepped out of a corridor surrounded by flames. Before Snape could move, Lucius had grabbed Draco and shackled him next to Potter and Longbottom, taking his wand. Snape cast a silent unlocking spell on Draco's shackles to allow him to escape. Lucius then petrified the unsuspecting Ginevra and Hermione, and let their bodies fall to the floor. The Dark Lord leaned Blaise's petrified body against a wall and laughed.

"Let us complete the ritual, Lucius."

"But, my lord. The Death Eaters that wanted to watch..."

"They do not matter. There has been enough difficulty in finding components for this ritual. It cannot wait any longer."

"Yes, my lord."

Lucius lit candles and murmured words in Latin, adding various plants and leaves to the boiling water in the large cauldron. Harry noticed that the thickness of magic in the air seemed to increase. At the Dursleys' it was thin, and at Hogwarts it was thick. However, in the ritual it became heavy, almost tangible.

Snape silently reversed the curse on Blaise, Ginevra, and Hermione, hoping they would run while they could. He did not see much hope for himself and the three boys in the pentacle. Even if the three of them tried to run, they would be recognized instantly by the people of the village surrounding the Manor. They had been oppressed for generations by the Malfoys, and were bound to report seeing The Chosen Ones and a Malfoy running away from the Manor. However, they wouldn't take much notice of the other three.

Unexpectedly, Blaise immediately cast Fiendfyre, and Voldemort's horcruxes were burned out. Voldemort himself was screaming, having lost a large portion of his soul. The fire was running rampant, and Lucius put it out with an angry flick of his wand. But it was too late. The horcruxes had already been destroyed. While he was distracted, Draco summoned his wand, along with Harry's and Neville's, from Lucius' cloak pocket. Harry and Neville stared at him in shock. "Wandless magic," he explained. "I learned some basic skills from Uncle Sev over the summer." Tossing their wands back to them, he quickly hid his. Harry and Neville followed suit.

"WHO DID THIS?!" yelled Voldemort, staring at Snape, Blaise, Ginny, and Hermione with suspicion.

"It was him, master," said Lucius, pointing at Blaise.

"Give him his comeuppance!" yelled Voldemort. "I would do it myself, but I am constrained to the pentacle."

As Lucius approached the frozen Blaise, who was drained from casting Fiendfyre, he lifted his wand, ready to utter the Killing Curse. Just then, Draco pointed his wand at his father, and yelled "AVADA KEDAVRA!"

He turned away as the curse hit his father, and buried his face in his arms, running out of the pentacle. As Lucius died, his fiendfyre over the hallways died with him. Voldemort had his wand pointed at Draco, but his leaving the pentacle caused an enormous magical rift in the air. The air itself seemed to be tearing apart. Voldemort tried to course the magic through his wand, but parts of it were escaping and wreaking havoc on Malfoy Manor. Harry and Neville shared a look.

"If we take away Voldemort's wand, he'll no longer be able to channel the magical energy," said Harry. "And it would kill him!" exclaimed Neville, ending his sentence for him. The two of them pointed their wands and said the incantation at the same time: "EXPELLIARMUS!"

The force of the magic ripped Voldemort apart, and he died with a frozen look of surprise on his face.


	12. Aftermath

Harry, Neville, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron sat together by the lake at Hogwarts, enjoying the sunny day. "Hey guys, guess what? Dumbledore took me to the Ministry yesterday afternoon. That's why I wasn't in class. We cleared Sirius' name with a Veritaserum testimony, and I'm going to live with him this summer! I don't have to go back to the Dursleys!" exclaimed Harry.

"That's great," said Hermione, her eyes welling up with tears. The others echoed that sentiment.

"What are your plans for the summer, guys?" asked Harry.

"My gran's real proud of me," said Neville. "She signed me up for an Auror camp for fifth years."

"The whole family's going on a trip to France, financed by the money from the Order of Merlin awards for me and Ginny! And Harry, by the way, you're invited too!" exclaimed Ron.

"I'll definitely be there! It'll be fun! How did your parents react, Hermione?"

"My parents were a little shocked, but they are proud of me too," said Hermione, "and they're taking me to the Caribbean Islands!"

"Oh, by the way, have any of you received fan mail yet? I got a letter from some witch thanking me for defeating Voldemort," said Neville.

"Dumbledore censors that mail for us," answered Harry. "That letter must have slipped through into your regular mail."

"That's great and all, guys, but I'm hungry," said Ron. "Can we go get lunch?"

Everyone laughed, rose, and allowed him to lead the way to the Great Hall.

In the Slytherin common rooms, Draco and Blaise sat on green leather couches and watched the fire. "You know," commented Draco, "my father is dead now. My mother has been dead for years. Andromeda Tonks has been disowned. That makes me Lord Malfoy, and the sole heir to the Malfoy fortune."

"Are you okay, mate?" asked Blaise.

"Of course I am. I'm Lord Malfoy, for gods' sake! Anyway, what are your summer plans?"

"I'll probably just waste my time at the villa in Venice, playing games and wandering the city. You can visit, any time you like."

"Thanks Blaise. I'm not sure if i'll have time though. I need to oversee the restoration of Malfoy Manor and the family finances."

"You need to relax, Draco. I'm sure someone else can handle these things for now."

"No, Blaise, don't you get it? The Malfoys have supported pureblood supremacy and all that trash for years now. I need to rescue the Malfoy name."

"And how do you plan to do that?"

"As painful as it is, now that Potter and Longbottom have defeated the Dark Lord, I need to be seen in public socializing with the Weasleys, Potter, and Longbottom. I'm also going to ask them to mention that I helped the Weaslette and Granger. Speaking of which, they haven't put me on trial for the Avada Kedavra I used. I have a feeling that old fool, Dumbledore, had something to do with it."

"For a moment, I was sure you were going to say that they were afraid of the Malfoy name."

"My father has dragged the Malfoy name through the mud, Blaise. It commands nothing except money anymore. It's up to me to salvage it."

Blaise saw evidence that he was serious in his voice, his eyes, and his clothes. Draco sounded completely confident, and completely serious. His eyes burned a determined silver. Wearing the traditional robes of the Malfoy Lords, complete with the ring that designated him head of the family, he looked very much like a Lord Malfoy.

Andromeda Tonks, Ted Tonks, and Nymphadora Tonks stood in Dumbledore's office, listening to the story of what happened to Tonks' cousin, Draco Malfoy. Dumbledore finished his narrative, leaving his audience wide-eyed and shocked. The happenings had been related to him by various people until he was able to piece together the full story, which was admittedly shocking.

Andromeda had tears in her eyes by the end of the story. "Poor children! They must have been terrified to be left alone with You-Know-Who!"

"Nevertheless, they have all recovered quite well," said Dumbledore. "I find myself worrying about Mr. Malfoy's situation, however."

"Oh, the poor dear, being forced to kill his father!" lamented Andromeda.

"But Lucius was about to hurt his friend!" interjected Tonks. "I would have done the same."

"But he's in trouble. Despite what he has done to help us, the wizarding world does not see Draco. They only see Lord Malfoy, and they will try to take revenge for what Lucius did to them."

"Surely they wouldn't hurt a child!"

"There's the catch. The old pureblood law overrules Ministry law, and the pureblood law states that once someone is the head of their family, regardless of age, they are considered legal adults, and expected to behave as such and take on all familial responsibilities, although they are allowed to continue unfinished education."

"The poor boy.. what will he do?"

"That's another one of the reasons I called the three of you here. Andromeda, Ted, would you be willing to adopt Draco?"

"Adopt him?!" Ted Tonks was shocked. "He's been raised under an extremely intolerant set of values, and I will not be called names on a daily basis!"

"I assure you, Ted, that Draco has realized the full extent of the hypocrisy that goes on with the Death Eaters. He only continued parroting his father's beliefs to escape his wrath." replied Dumbledore. "Would you be willing to do this for your nephew?"

"Of course we would!" cried Andromeda.

"Excellent," said Dumbledore. "The only catch is that because Draco is considered an adult under the law, he has to authorize this change as well."

"Oh, he's never going to do that," sniffed Tonks. "Mum, Dad, we may as well give up now."

"We are *not* giving up, Nymphadora!" yelled Andromeda. "We are showing your cousin that we care about him! I will not abandon the poor boy to fend for himself!"

"All right then," said Dumbledore. "I will call him to my office this evening at 8 pm."

At seven, Draco, Blaise, Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle, and Daphne were eating dinner at the Slytherin table when a first year approached Draco. He was a terrified-looking Hufflepuff, quailing at the sight of Draco Malfoy in full Lord Malfoy regalia.

"What is it?" asked Draco imperiously.

The Hufflepuff squeaked, handed Draco a scroll, and ran off, relieved that he could return to the familiar safety of the Hufflepuff table. Draco stared at the scroll for a moment. He was sick and tired of reading. Earlier in the day, he had taken the time to go through all the records of the Malfoy finances, businesses, and various estates around the world to ensure they were making the maximum amount of profit. He had written a plethora of letters to the estate managers instructing them to rent out the French chateau next to the family vineyards and the mansion in the forests of Scotland, among other estates. His father had refused to rent them out to anyone except purebloods, but all the upstanding pureblood families had their own vacation homes.

Sighing, Draco opened the scroll. The letter read:

Mr. Malfoy,

Please report to the headmaster's office at 8 pm today to discuss your current situation.

- Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore

"Blaise," said Draco. "Take a look at this. Do you know what the old fool's up to? I think he might be trying to get the Malfoy money somehow."

"I don't know Draco, but the letter certainly sounds suspicious. And vague. But look at it this way. You've been learning law since we were four. You know your way around a courtroom and you have enough money to hire the best lawyers. If he's trying to get your money he will be facing a strong defense."

"Even so, Blaise, I want someone there at the meeting who will watch my back. Would you be willing to come?"

"All right. I'll come."

At 8 pm that night, the two Slytherins went up to Dumbledore's office. They went in through the unlocked passageway and were surprised to see the Tonks family waiting for them with Dumbledore. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as Draco and Blaise walked in.

"Hello Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Zabini. I presume you, Mr. Zabini, have a reason to be here."

"Sir, I am here as an impartial witness to whatever may occur here," responded Blaise.

"Of course, of course. Draco, you are as cautious as ever. I just wanted to discuss your situation, Mr. Malfoy."

"Thank you for your concern, sir, but I believe I am handling my duties as head of the Malfoy household in a manner befitting my position."

"Of that I have no doubt. However, would you consider my proposal? You have no close relatives to live with. In light of the recent trauma you have been through, the Tonks family has agreed to adopt you, Draco."

"Sir, I am a legal adult under pureblood law, which overrules Ministry law. Therefore, I can do magic outside of school, live on my own, and vote. I have no need of such an arrangement."

"Oh, Draco!" interjected Andromeda Tonks desperately. "Cissa and I used to be so close as children. Our father drove us apart with his insistence upon pureblood marriage, and after him, Lucius Malfoy denied me contact with Cissa because of my marriage! Please let me help you. You're the only piece of her I have left. Please tell me you'll let us adopt you. Please tell me you don't believe in pureblood superiority like Lucius did."

At the comparison between him and Lucius, Draco's face lost all color. His gray eyes looked like walls of stone. He drew himself up, and said in a cold, flat tone, "I do not believe purebloods are superior. Despite what many think, I am NOT a carbon copy of my father. However, I cannot let you adopt me."

"Come now, Draco, be reasonable," said Dumbledore. "What harm could come from having a family who cares about you?"

"My father has defiled the Malfoy name with his blind prejudice and support of the Dark Lord. It is up to me to restore the Malfoy family to its former glory, starting with rebuilding Malfoy Manor. I cannot desert my duty to the family for the plebeian indulgence of family life."

"But Draco!" wailed a distraught Andromeda. "You're not even of age!"

Draco calmly held up a hand. "Stop this. If you wish to discuss this matter further, I must contact my attorney. Now is that all, sir?"

"Yes," replied Dumbledore softly, looking older than usual. "You are dismissed."

Andromeda burst into tears.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny, and Neville were making their way up to Gryffindor tower before curfew when they ran into a angry, wound up Tonks muttering under her breath. Harry caught "Slytherins"and "purebloods" as well as an impressive assortment of swear words.

"Tonks! What's wrong?" asked Hermione, worried about her angry demeanor and incessant swearing.

"I'm not supposed to tell anyone, but if I keep it inside I'm likely to explode! Over here." Tonks pushed the five Gryffindors into an empty classroom. "Remember, what i'm about to tell you, you never heard."

She then proceeded to fill them in on the meeting. "Mom was distraught! And that heartless snake just holds his hand up, and says 'I'm going to have to call my attorney' all snotty-like, and Mom breaks down, and him and his 'impartial witness' friend just walk out without a backward glance! Mom's been stressing out all evening over HIM!"

Ginny was shocked. "But- he helped me and Hermione, back at Malfoy Manor, I thought he- that he reformed!"

"Just goes to show, a leopard never changes its spots," replied Tonks darkly.

The next morning, Draco, Blaise and their cronies were going down to breakfast when they were stopped by five angry Gryffindors.

"Malfoy," Harry said angrily. "We need to talk."

Draco signaled to his cronies that they should go on, except Blaise, who stayed out of curiosity. Neville pushed everyone into an empty classroom. Draco and Blaise already had their hands on their wands in case the Gryffindors were picking a fight. Neville locked the door and cast silencing charms. Draco and Blaise were quite unsettled, and they moved into a defensive back-to-back formation, going over curses in their head.

"You liar!" snarled Ron at Blaise.

"What?!" yelled Blaise, completely shocked. He and Draco drew their wands, pointing them at the Gryffindors. In response, the Gryffindors drew theirs.

"STOP!" yelled Ginny, taking in the scene. She pushed through Ron and Neville and stood in front of the Slytherins. She then put her wand on the ground and held her arms up. "We only want to talk."

Slowly, the rest began to put their wands away, casting suspicious glances at each other.

"What do you want to talk about, then?" asked Draco. "I don't have time for you morons."

"And Weasley, you're the liar. I haven't talked to you enough to lie to you." said Blaise.

"YOU TOLD ME THAT YOU AND MALFOY DON'T BELIEVE IN PUREBLOOD SUPREMACY!" yelled Ron, his face turning as red as his hair.

"Well, we don't," replied Blaise calmly.

"THEN WHY WON'T MALFOY LET THE TONKSES ADOPT HIM?!"

"Many reasons," retorted Draco. "Reasons you do not need to be privy to."

"But Mal- sorry, Draco," interjected Hermione, "I don't see what reasons you could possibly have for refusing!"

Draco's eyes had narrowed to slits. "Don't call me Draco," he said. "You haven't earned that right."

"But I thought-"

"I am Lord Malfoy, and will be addressed as such by everyone except my close friends. I'm afraid no one in this room qualifies, except Blaise."

"Wait. How do you know about this?" interrupted Blaise.

Draco ran up to Harry, grabbed his shoulders, and stared into his eyes. The Gryffindors stood, mouths agape for a moment. Then Ron and Ginny ran up to Draco and began to pull him off of Harry. Harry looked to be coming out of a daze.

"What was that?" he asked woozily.

"Legilemency," replied Ron. "Draco looked through your mind!"

"And of course you had no Occulemency barriers to keep me out," said Draco, smirking. "Nymphadora Tonks, I should have known she was the weak link. And I know you believe I did this to spite the Tonks family. But the truth is that I want to rescue the Malfoy name, and start a tradition of tolerance. That's all. You have my word of honor as Lord Malfoy."

Ron tried to use Legilimency on Draco, but Blaise cut in. "You can't break his shields, Weasley. They're the strongest I've ever seen."

"Listen," Draco said. "I'm not your enemy. Let's be civil to one another, okay?"

The Gryffindors looked suspicious.

"Look, we're not asking for friendship," said Blaise. "Let's just agree to be civil to one another. Is that too much to ask?"

There was a long pause. Disbelief, anger, and suspicion battled for control of the Gryffindors' faces. Finally, Hermione said, "Okay. We can be civil to one another."

"That means no hexing me in the halls," said Neville. Blaise looked murderous.

Having already eaten breakfast, the Gryffindors went up to Gryffindor Tower to discuss the recent turn of events. They had done all they could, but Draco had some surprisingly compelling reasons to stay a Malfoy. They could only hope that Andromeda understood Draco's refusal.


	13. Epilogue

The Burrow was in a state of chaos. The Weasleys were leaving for France soon, and the packing needed to be done.

"Ron!" yelled Ginny. "Fred! George! Have any of you seen my green dress?"

"I've told you a million times, Gin, that dress is WAY too short!" yelled Ron.

"It's folded on the kitchen table, dear," interjected Mrs. Weasley.

"Thanks, Mom!" replied Ginny.

Fred and George were the only Weasleys who had not yet begun packing. They were dancing to Celestina Warbeck in the kitchen with piles of underwear draped over their arms. Fred had a shirt draped over his face.

Andromeda Tonks chose that moment to floo into the Weasleys' kitchen. She gave the twins a wide berth as she searched for Molly Weasley. Eventually, she ran into Mrs. Weasley, who was coming down the stairs with armfuls of socks.

"'Dromeda, dear, hello!" said Mrs. Weasley, dropping the socks into an empty laundry basket. "How are you? Would you like some tea?"

"Actually, I just called to ask a favor of you, Molly," she said.

"Anything for you, dear."

"Blaise and Draco are going to France as well, on business. I just found out today. Could you watch over them, maybe meet up with them? They're staying in Paris."

"Of course, it won't be any trouble at all."


End file.
